Happy Monday, Burlington! We're looking at a gorgeous start to the week with temperatures pushing 80 degrees this afternoon under mostly sunny skies. Those thin clouds drifting through southern Vermont will clear out by tomorrow morning, leaving us with wall-to-wall sunshine. But don't let Tuesday's bright skies fool you into leaving your jacket at home. A dry cold front rolls through early tomorrow, bringing northerly winds that'll gust up to 25 mph and knock temperatures down into the mid-60s. Wednesday morning could see our first widespread frost of the season, especially if you're up in the Northeast Kingdom or tucked into one of our mountain valleys. Thursday morning looks even frostier with most of us waking up to temperatures in the 30s, so maybe give those tomato plants one last harvest or throw a sheet over them. The good news? We're back to the 70s by Friday and possibly hitting 80 again next Monday.

Tonight's free Silent Movie Event at Burlington Beer Company starts at 6 PM in Lumière Hall, where they're screening "A Vermont Romance," the first film shot entirely in Vermont back in 1916. The restored silent film gets the full treatment with live piano accompaniment from Bob Merrill, plus you'll learn about the building's fascinating history as the site of the Lumière Bros. North American Factory. No tickets needed, just show up for this celebration of International Silent Movie Day with light snacks and a cash bar. Also starting at 6 PM, the City Council meets at Contois Auditorium with some hefty agenda items including confirmation of Dr. Kelli Perkins as the new Director of the Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. They're also voting on a public indecency ordinance and discussing whether to raise the mandatory retirement age for police officers and firefighters from 60. Public forum kicks off at 6:30 if you want to weigh in. And, of course, I’ll be doing a recap of the meeting for Friday’s edition. For those who prefer their Monday nights with a side of country music, beginners can learn line dancing at On Tap Bar & Grill tonight from 6 to 8 PM for just ten bucks cash.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, the Women Business Owners Network Conference takes over the Echo Center from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM with keynote speaker Reshma Saujani and performances by Myra Flynn. The "Rising Together We Thrive" theme promises practical strategies for business growth, AI insights, and plenty of networking opportunities. Tuesday evening offers two wildly different vibes: practice your Spanish at Taco Gordo's weekly meetup from 7 to 8 PM, where Ian hosts with a handy cheat sheet for beginners, or release some energy at the Emotional Alchemy Ecstatic Dance at SAVU Lakeside from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, complete with somatic tools, movement, and a sauna/cold plunge combo for fifty dollars for 2 hours. The Vermont Women's Fund's Annual Celebration also happens Tuesday at The Flynn starting at 4:30 PM, marking their 30th anniversary. Finally, if you're up for a two-wheeled adventure, Local Motion's EZ Breezy Urban Adventure leaves from Steele Street at 6 PM for a seven-mile no-drop ride ending with a treasure hunt in costume if you're feeling festive.

Wednesday brings Oktoberfest to Zero Gravity Beer Hall on Pine Street from 3 to 10 PM, featuring steins of Märzen, a special seasonal menu, and Bavarian brass from Inseldudler. If you're more into funk than polka, Deltron 3030 hits Higher Ground Wednesday night at 8 PM, bringing their legendary sci-fi hip-hop to South Burlington. Thursday's packed too: early birds can join the Peace & Justice Center's downtown cleanup crew at 7:30 AM at the top of Church Street, where they provide all the supplies for litter and needle cleanup. Need your knives sharpened? Madam Cutler sets up at Yankee Pride Quilts in Essex Junction from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM Thursday with a convenient drop box for your dull blades. Thursday evening, blues guitar phenom Christone "Kingfish" Ingram brings his Grammy-winning chops to Higher Ground at 8 PM, while South Burlington's Park Hop Brews series lands at Jaycee Park from 5:30 to 7:30 PM with Blake Matteson and Aram Bedrosian playing tunes, El Gato slinging food, and free cornhole all evening.

Warm spike today(about a dozen degrees above typical) then a quick slide to seasonable-to-crisp midweek. Overall, this 4-day stretch flips from late-September warmth to an early-October feel, with some notably cool nights below normal.

An official Meetup.com group for Burlington! Burlington has tons going on. Btown Brief highlights it; Btown Brief IRL gets you out experiencing it. Thanks to all the folks that joined the group so far!

We run two types of events: Regular anchors (like the Saturday Coffee Meetup) and Member-picked events where your RSVP is your vote. I’ll have a poll in the newsletter each week. See a great community event you want go to? RSVP fast - first 5 commitments make it official. No committees, no maybe's, just "I'm in" or we move on. Think trivia takeovers, food crawls, volunteer days, whatever the group wants. Easy, low-pressure stuff where conversation flows naturally. Show up a few times and casually get to know your neighbor! We're also looking for people who might want to host a regular anchor event like run clubs or trivia nights in the future. (If that ever sounds like you, just let me know!)

How it works: Each week features 2-4 possible events. RSVP to what you want. Hit the threshold of 5 by the deadline = it's on. Simple.

Think of membership as showing love for the newsletter while unlocking Burlington's social layer. Your $3.50/month on Meetup (after a free trial) keeps the Brief alive and gets you into a community that actually shows up, with Telegram access, event RSVPs, and input on what we do next. Your attendance literally shapes what sticks.

New members: Check your Meetup messages for your welcome note and Telegram invite! We're keeping one main chat for now but will add age-specific groups (20s-early 30s and 30-40+) as we grow.

Click here to: Join Meetup group

Want a beautiful photo you took of Burlington, with your name, in front of thousands of email subscribers + Instagram followers? Reply to this email with that info and I’ll post them, with credit to you! I’ve slowly running low on my relevant, spectacular pictures of this city.

Relieving stress through mess at South Burlington's new smash room

The Break Room in South Burlington offers four smash rooms where customers can destroy garage sale finds and donated items with bats and crowbars, plus a paint-splatter room and a sound-dampened scream room for verbal release. Co-owner Kerry Lyons opened the business after his family visited a smash room out of state last Father's Day and realized Burlington lacked this type of stress relief venue. Sessions range from $30 to $100 per person, with protective gear provided and reservations required.

Vermont's drought is straining communities and leading residents to suffer

Berlin's public works supervisor Craig Pelletier is literally running a fire hose to keep the town's elder care facility from going dry. With nearly 94% of Vermont experiencing severe drought and almost a quarter in extreme drought conditions, towns across the state are scrambling to maintain basic water services. Berlin's water production has dropped by half, forcing mandatory conservation notices for its 115 connected users. Meanwhile, residents in Corinth are showering at schools and hauling water from town hall as private wells fail. The state has received 398 reports of water shortages since August 22, with Orange County bearing the brunt at 21% of all reports.

Bay Ridge neighborhood celebrated in Shelburne with forever affordable homes

Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth have transformed a former motel that housed homeless Vermonters into 68 affordable apartments and 26 condominiums in Shelburne, with all units remaining permanently affordable for future generations. The $55 million Bay Ridge development includes federal Housing Choice Vouchers that cap rent at 30% of income for some residents, with 20 apartments reserved for those exiting homelessness. The condominiums, priced below $200,000 in a county where median home prices exceed $500,000, are nearly sold out to nurses, preschool teachers, and workers from nearby employers.

From deep seas to far space: UVM Medical School alum chosen as one of NASA's next astronauts

Dr. Imelda Muller, a 2017 UVM Larner College of Medicine graduate, has been selected as one of NASA's 10 new astronaut candidates from a pool of 8,000 applicants. The 34-year-old anesthesiologist and naval lieutenant brings expertise in extreme environment medicine from her work as an undersea medical officer. After two years of training including spacewalk simulations and survival exercises, she'll be eligible for flight assignments as one of only two medical professionals in the new astronaut class.

South Burlington City workers reach contract agreement

South Burlington's new five-year union contract includes unprecedented language allowing city workers to engage in union actions "promoting and defending democratic principles" once per year for up to three business days. The agreement, which covers City Hall, Public Works, and library employees, provides total raises between 18.8% and 28.8% over five years. Workers also gained increased short-term disability benefits with maximum weekly payouts jumping from $500 to $1,250, and new protections against discipline for refusing to cross picket lines.

In Burlington, Volunteers Counter Vandalism Before a New Mural's Completion

Artist Clark Derbes and 90 volunteers spent Saturday painting "Building Blocks," a 3,461-square-foot geometric mural at 266 Main Street, only to find it vandalized with graffiti by Sunday morning. Undeterred, 60 more volunteers including Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak's chief of staff and half the city council painted over the damage that same day. The project, organized by Mission Murals and Edmunds Elementary parents concerned about their playground facing the previously graffiti-covered building, has raised $7,200 toward costs that now exceed $10,000 due to additional paint needed after the vandalism.

UVM educator licensure programs earn national recognition

UVM's educator licensure programs have received the prestigious Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement Award from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation. The award recognizes the College of Education and Social Services' seven-year self-study process and commitment to preparing teachers through rigorous standards and field-based learning experiences. The national accreditation validates UVM's approach to educator preparation at a time when teacher shortages challenge schools nationwide.

Lake Champlain Chamber announces Leadership Champlain Class of 2026

The Lake Champlain Chamber's signature leadership program has selected 31 participants for its Class of 2026, representing organizations from GlobalFoundries to the Milton Family Community Center. The nine-month program, now in its 37th year, includes eight full-day seminars exploring Vermont issues, team service projects addressing community needs, and leadership skill development. Participants launched their journey at Basin Harbor with team-building exercises and training in CliftonStrengths and cultural competency.

'Let It Be' Mural Depicts the History of Burlington's Barge Canal

Eight student artists aged 16 to 22 created an 8-by-20-foot mural outside BCA Studios that tells the centuries-spanning story of Burlington's industrial Barge Canal, from pre-colonial wilderness through timber boom to toxic Superfund site. Working with Juniper Creative Arts muralists, the students spent just one month researching and painting the dreamlike work that features eight water lilies representing each artist and the land's gradual healing. The canal site, contaminated by coal gasification waste from 1906 to 1966, has remained largely fenced off since EPA cleanup in the 1990s but shows signs of ecological recovery.

VTSU program for low-income students, in danger of shutting down, gets last-minute funding

The McNair Scholars program at VTSU Castleton, which helps first-generation and low-income students pursue graduate school, has secured funding for one more year after facing potential closure on September 30. Program director Debbie Warnock says they're now recruiting their next cohort of undergraduates while keeping a close eye on federal budget negotiations that will determine the program's future beyond next year. The reprieve comes as similar programs nationwide face funding cuts.

This twice-weekly deep dive into Burlington takes serious time and research, from tracking city council meetings to uncovering weekly events and meetups you won't find elsewhere. As a one-person operation, your support directly keeps this project alive. Consider becoming a Core Reader with a small monthly donation below, or send a one-time gift using that link, or straight to Venmo @BtownBrief. Every contribution helps!

Monday, September 29

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Tuesday, September 30

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Wednesday, October 1

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Thursday, October 2

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Volunteer to Support Local Seniors with Age Well
Age Well is seeking volunteers to make a direct impact in the lives of older Vermonters—whether it’s through friendly visits, grocery shopping, delivering Meals on Wheels, helping with errands or appointments, or lending a hand with small home repairs and organizing. The time commitment is flexible and based on your schedule—just a few hours once a week or even a couple of days a month, weekdays between 8 AM and 4 PM. Volunteers often say the experience is deeply rewarding, as they get to see the difference they’re making firsthand. As an added bonus, volunteers who are City Market members can also earn 7–12% off their grocery bill as part of the Member Worker program. To learn more or sign up, call 802-662-5249 or email [email protected].

Check out this page for links to four great sites with volunteer opportunities all around Burlington.

Today’s picks:

Five more to keep your summer days feeling full and flexible. Start with a visit to Colchester Pond where you can paddle, hike, or just sit by the water with a picnic. Walk through the South End on Pine Street and check out the murals, shops, and cafes that give the neighborhood its creative feel. Spend some time at the Vermont State House in Montpelier for a free tour and then wander the surrounding streets for a slower pace than Burlington. Stop into The Boardroom downtown for an afternoon of board games with friends and something to eat or drink while you play. End the day at Oakledge Park where the grassy lawn and rocky shoreline make it one of the best spots for sunset.

Full list’s always waiting here when you need a plan: 202+ Things to Do

Soon to be updated with even more Burlington food deals:

This Week’s Food & Drink Picks

View the full list of food & drink deals here.

As covered in Seven Days, Burlington's South End has welcomed a new chapter in its wine scene with La Reprise, which opened in June in the former Dedalus space on Pine Street. New owner Ari Sadri, a veteran of Vermont's hospitality industry with decades of experience at The Pitcher Inn and Shelburne Farms Inn, has retained much of what made the location special (including key staff members like chef Brian Popov) while adding his personal touch. The wine bar and shop focuses on making wine accessible to everyone, with bottles ranging from everyday affordable options starting around $12 to special occasion selections. Sadri's philosophy centers on helping customers discover new wines they'll love, whether they're picking up a weeknight bottle or settling in for dinner at the wine bar, where European-influenced dishes pair beautifully with thoughtfully selected wines. The outdoor wine garden offers a more casual option for enjoying skewers and salads with a glass of something refreshing. For the full review by Melissa Pasanen, including mouthwatering descriptions of the food and wine pairings, visit this link.

View the full list of restaurant reviews here.

Thanks for reading tonight's Brief! Keep those tender plants covered midweek, and remember that perfect fall weather means peak foliage is just around the corner. If you've got tips, events, or neighborhood news to share, drop us a line. See you Friday

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